How to Become a Laboratory Services Customer

You must contact the laboratory before sending any material. This is to insure that we are currently accepting new customers. If we are accepting new customers you will be sent a credit application to open a new account. Upon approval you will be able to send material. All new customers will be required to pay for the cost of the seed sowing and 50% of the cost of the replates before work will begin.

Orchid Seed Pods

You must contact the laboratory prior to sending seed pods in order to obtain a receiving reservation. Seed pods should never be wrapped in plastic as this produces conditions for contamination. Pods may be put in a paper envelope which will contain the seed should the pod split. The paper envelopes may be put in a box to prevent crushing during shipment. Overnight delivery is recommended for green pods. We prefer green pods to dry seed because they have the highest chance of producing good germination. Each pod should be given an identification number, which we will use to identify the cross. You must let us know how many mother flasks and replates (final flasks) you would like for each cross. It is also helpful if you include the genus and, if you like, the cross information. This helps us choose the correct media and growing conditions. Seedling replates are planted forty plants to a flask (500ml Erlenmeyer) with no guarantee as to the number or quality of plants that survive. You will be contacted when your replates are ready.

Meristem Clones

You must contact the laboratory prior to sending material in order to obtain a receiving reservation. For cloning we need a new growth. Please contact the laboratory to find out if we can clone the particular orchid that you want cloned and to find out the correct size for the new growth. Please note that we are not currently cloning phalaenopsis. You may send the new growth in or bring the whole plant in and we will remove the new growth for you. We will test the plant for virus unless you have done so recently. Clone prices are per plant per clone. Final flasks are planted fifty-five plants per flask and are guaranteed to contain forty plants. You will be contacted when your replates are ready.